Day Off

Light snow for most of the day gave me the excuse to make this my day off for the week. I'll use this boring, terrible excuse for a post to highlight some of the music I've been listening to while running in the last few weeks.

The release of Minty Fresh Beats Jaydiohead mashup dovetailed nicely a lot of Radiohead in my playlists in the last few months. Keeping in line with my recent visits to Brooklyn (and recent publicity for the movie Notorious, such as two hour Biggie marathons on VH1 Soul) I have been listening to Notorious B.I.G., as well. I really like both the mashup of Biggie's Everyday Struggle with the Ace of Base classic All That She Wants and the Ratatat remix of Party and Bullshit. Also on the hip hop side of things, I've finally gotten around to giving DC-native Wale an honest listen, and his free Mixtape About Nothing is very good (see Nike Boots featuring Lil' Wayne, for example). As for rock and roll, I'm still enjoying TV On The Radio's "Dear Science" album (check out DLZ) and the Handsome Furs new album "Face Control" is growing on me (I'm Confused, in particular, is a great running song).

Downtown DC

Time: 60:00
Distance: 9 mi.

Easy evening run from Columbia Heights south through Rock Creek Park to Dupont Circle. I looped around the White House and headed back up 14th Street. My legs are a little bit tired, and my sesamoids are sore on both sides... I think it's time for some new shoes.

I did get to listen to Face Control, the new Handsome Furs album which Brian let me know was out in the wild. Like their last album, Plague Park, it is a little bit stark, but good for a night run in the city.

I also registered for the Austin Marathon today, and booked tickets. This is really happening.

Reverse Pelham Hills Loop

Time: 70:50
Distance: 10.5 mi.
Map

Hilly afternoon run in Amherst. I was undecided about where to go, and only decided on this loop as I was heading along Harkness. It was a good decision as I really like this loop, though I am pretty run down from the last week (and still somewhat dehydrated and underfed), so the hills "found me out" a bit (a Bill Bowerman expression). The run was only interrupted by having to shout down and then outrun two dogs near the top of Gulf Road.

I ran with some music again, this time getting through selections from the Notorious B.I.G. classics Ready To Die and Life After Death. So many of the songs on these albums are stories that I felt like I was basically listening to an audio version of a gangster movie. Things could be worse.

Also, there's an article in Slate about John L. Parker Jr.'s classic running novel "Once A Runner" that is worth reading, though I have to say that I disagree with the author's dismay that the book is going back into print. If anyone reading this hasn't had a chance to read "Once A Runner," you'll be able to grab a new copy in April (for less than $100).

National Mall, RCP South

Time: 84:00 (?)
Distance: 12.75 mi.
Map


View of the east side of the National Mall towards the Capitol from the Washington Monument

Nice cool afternoon run from Colin's place in Columbia Heights. I ran down 16th Street to the White House; around the National Mall past the Capitol Building, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial; towards Georgetown and back up through Rock Creek Park to Klingle Road. Inauguration preparations are apparent around the White House and the Capitol. My legs (particularly my quads) were a bit sore from the get-go, but it didn't get much worse throughout the run. My right sciatic nerve was acting up for a mile or two, and my right IT band is a bit tight. I enjoyed being back down on the Mall, where there are beautiful views throughout. I haven't been down there for a run since Jordan and I ran with Jilane and Meagan at the Marine Corps Marathon.

I messed up my watch, so I didn't get the exact time, but I was able to map the run out.

Music: Radiohead, Live in Saitama, Japan

After the run, I enjoyed a Pop Tart in the shower. This reminded me of being chastised for eating a Pop Tart in the shower after practice at Brown. Luckily Jordan was on my side, and he managed to one-up me by eating chicken wings in the shower soon thereafter.

Long Rosen Loop

Time: 67:45
Distance: 10.5 mi.
Map

Nice somewhat uptempo run on a very chilly afternoon (under 20 deg.). I got out the door at about 4:00, which left me finishing just after the sun set. I put on my Ekiden pre-race playlist, a diverse list of good energy music (which, on shuffle leads to some pretty random sequences... e.g. Lil' Wayne followed by Dwight Yoakam).

Pelham Hills, North Valley

Time: 94:10
Distance: 14.5 mi.
Map

Back to the medium long run, as I start to build my Sundays up past 20 miles. Snow had been lightly falling all morning, but the only sections of this run that were really cold were along Amherst Road where it was very windy. I did this run once at the end of July and decided it would be a good road-based 90-minute run for today. The first 8 miles are very much uphill (I ran about 7 minute pace) and the next 6.5 are predominantly downhill (I ran just over 6 minute pace). My legs and lungs both felt surprisingly good, and I very much enjoyed clearing my head and enjoying the fresh snow.

I didn't have anything to eat before I got out for the run a little after noon, so I was hurting for fuel by the middle of the run, which was a little tough. I listened to some shuffled Radiohead for the run, including "Idiotheque" a few times.

Ice Age Coming, Ice Age Coming

Time: 75:00
Distance: 11 mi.

Okay, so it's more like winter is coming, but I'm listening to Radiohead's Idioteque while I'm writing this, and it fits well enough. It is going to take a bit to get used to cold weather running again, which I haven't done for any substantial period of time in two years. I waited to clear out my sinuses and throat and for the temperature to go up a few degrees and before heading out in the early afternoon. The run took me up North Valley to the power line entrance to Amethyst Brook. I followed the trail in through the main intersection of trails and explored in the section that has been largely torn up with logging. Part of it was similar to running up a partly-frozen river bed. Instead of heading straight back through Echo Hill when I got to the base of the conservation area, I ran behind Fort River, down South East street and through Wentworth Farm, which is surprisingly only about 5 minutes longer. My hamstring was a bit tight starting around 60 minutes, so I should probably give it some more attention. The cold persists, but I didn't feel as bad as I was going to.

I listened to Only By The Night all the way through before putting on the more uptempo (and somewhat more abrasive) Ghostland Observatory album Paparazzi Lightning.

Bike Path Farm Loop

Time: 70:30
Distance: 11 mi.
Map


Dry cornfields along the side of Moody Bridge Road, about 6 miles into the run

Morning run with a slight variation of a run that I did this summer. There were actually two main differences between the two runs: first, that day had a heat advisory and this morning was 30 degrees as I was heading out the door; second, I went back Moody Bridge and Pomeroy instead of past Mill River. Due to the cold weather and some wind coming across the farm fields my legs were a bit stiff the whole way. My right glute and hip flexor were a bit tired and getting sore by the end of the run. I got the pace going a little bit, averaging 6:25 for the whole run, and running the Station Road mile in 6:10.

I listened to Wolf Parade's 2005 album Apologies to the Queen Mary straight through, as well as the first half of At Mount Zoomer, which came out earlier this year. I haven't really given the new album a chance yet, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard today--particularly Call It A Ritual.

Amherst Loop

Time: 64:45
Distance: 9.5 mi.
Map

Easy evening loop through the Amherst College trails, past the High School, through the center of town and back on Mill Lane and the bike path. I picked up the pace through town to race some college kid who was running about 6:30 pace. I got ahead of him and then he stopped at the main intersection as I blew through it.

The cool, crisp dusk was well accompanied by the ambient sounds of Radiohead's In Rainbows (and the first few tracks of OK Computer).

RCP South, Georgetown

Time: 68:00
Distance: 10 mi.


My run took me over the Dumbarton Bridge and past the Bison that guard it

Easy morning run from Colin's south in Rock Creek Park to a short loop through Dumbarton Oaks and Georgetown and back. As opposed to Thursday's run, it was humid and fairly hot. Strange.

I spent most of the run listening to the Handsome Furs, who will hopefully have some new material out soon.

Rosen Loop (Middle Street)

Time: 64:30
Distance: 10 mi.
Map

I think this is my first run of the fall where the temperature was below freezing heading out the door. It was a crisp cold, though, and it didn't take too much time to warm up. I decided to head a little farther once I reached Bay Road to Middle Street instead of South East Street to see if I could make this run an even 10 miles, instead of the 9.5 which I have been running it recently. That seemed to do the trick, as the final distance of this run was spot-on. I ran a little bit up-tempo from most of my recent distance runs, getting to about 6:20 pace by the time I was heading towards Bay Road. My legs are generally tired, and my right glute is sore, but nothing major to speak of.

I ran with the boys from Kings of Leon today, shuffling through all four of their albums. Unfortunately the timing of my trip to D.C. this week ensured that I would miss Kings of Leon shows both in the District early in the week and Boston later in the week.

North Valley, Amethyst Loop

Time: 60:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.
Map (approximate)

Morning run that I wasn't particularly excited for as I headed out the door. It was a bit chilly, though we really haven't had any truly cold days yet, so I can't really complain. To try to get the good buzz going (and turn my brain off), I took a page out of Keith's book and queued up some DJs on the iPod. I listened to Simian Mobile Disco's Attack Decay Sustain Release straight through, which did the trick for the most part. While some of the songs are a little abrasive (e.g. It's The Beat), others (such as I Believe (SMD Space Dub), Clock) make me want to own the roads. Plus, all of this stuff reminds me of one of the most fun concert experiences I've ever had with Ian and Brian at last year's SXSW in Austin.

It's hard to judge the distance of some of these runs that go through the Echo Hill or Amethyst trails. The half mile I timed on Old Farm Road had me at 6:30 pace, but obviously some of the hilly trail sections were slower.